You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

pain meds

Hi everyone!

I haven't posted in a while. I have lupus and fibro. I was essentially pain free for almost 3 years. I had my son last September and things went downhill the following January (2013). So, it's been increasingly more and more painful since January of this year. In addition to joint pain, I have this horrible pain in my back. It seems to be down the middle. I also have chest pain. Lord, it felt so good to be asymptomatic. I thought it was due to my gluten free diet. I didn't (and still don't) eat sugar, flour, or yeast. No dairy. But, it's not working. I'm in pain throughout the day (about a 4) then worsening as the night progresses. About an 8 at night when I wake up to feed my son (around 1 or 2). It just gets worse until I get out of bed. My son has not slept through the night since birth. I'm convinced he's not now due to 4 teeth coming in all at the same time. I say that to say I don't think sleep deprivation has helped! Anyway, I started on tramadol. That helps I guess. I'm taking 400 mg a day though. That's a lot. I just started with Neurontin. I was on Neurontin back in 2009 when I was having a lot of pain. And Flexerill. I didn't like either one then. They made me loopy. Neurontin still does. I'm only taking 100 mg 3 x a day. I could be loopy back in 2009. I can't now. I have a 1 year old to look after. So. . . my question is, what is everyone taking to help with pain? What works????? I need relief. I'm thinking about all types of meds . . .tylenol 4, norco, darvocet. . . any suggestions. I want to get to the bottom of what's specifically causing the pain. I'm going to pulmonary Monday to rule out any lung involvement. I went cardiology. Nothing there. I do have fluid around my lungs. I'm at a lost. . . again. My diet isn't working like I thought it was. Help!

The Following User Says Thank You to Shanna For This Useful Post:

Yes. I have tried prednisone.. medro dos pack and depo medrol. Haven't tried heating pad. I'm wondering this morning if this could be a sprain... at least some of this pain in my back and if flexeril would help. I think I'll go to urgent care. Thx!

First of all congrats regarding your new baby! I found out I had lupus today, and also, like you, I have had really bad back pain for many years, that got a lot worse the past few years, to where I can't sit for extended periods of time, or walk and stand without a lot of pain. I have a great neurologist/back doctor, and have tried different medications. Most of the muscle relaxants make me feel nauseous, dizzy and faint, so it is easier to suffer the back pain than the symptoms of the muscle relaxers. The only medicine that works well for me is vicodin or tramadol plus I get trigger point injections into my upper back, lower back and sit bones every three weeks. The injections really take the edge off the pain. As for the vicodin, most of my family and friends are very quick to point out that it is addictive and very strong, and a bad choice. My answer to that is that I have discussed and weighed the benefits versus side affects with my doctor, and this is what we agreed best works for me. I have tried so many other medicines, 8 different physical therapists, numerous chiropractors, massages and acupuncture. The benefits of vicodin or tramadol are greater than the risks, for me, and I have not experienced any bad side effects. Also, like you, I have a lot of trouble breathing, and have had so many exrays, catscans., MRI's, etc. that I should be glowing with radiation! No solution to the breathlessness has been found. They did give me an inhaler which makes me shakey and nauseous, so am still trying to find how to be able to breath well again. Well, I wish you all the best and hope that you find something that works well for you.

Please be very careful using heating pads. I have used them for years to sooth aching muscles, so that I could sleep comfortably. Then one year ago I fell asleep and the one hour timer did not work, and I got 3rd degree burns. If you google SunBeam/ Sleeping Pads/Walgreens/ Third Degree Burns, there are thousands of cases out there where heating pads have malfunctioned and people got burned badly. So I would recommend setting your alarm as a back up plan, while you are resting and may fall asleep, just in case the heating pad malfunctions and doesn't turn off on its own.

When in doubt always get it checked out. It is much better to be safe than sorry. Remember, what you are feeling on the outside is simply a symptom of bigger things that could be happening inside. You will come to know the "normal" things for you and when new things arise get them looked into. They can either be new lupus problems or something completely different. Just because we have Lupus doesn't make us immune to other things. If it is lupus you want to get it looked at and get to the source. Some of us have to go on daily doses of steroids and/or other meds such as MTX in order to try and keep the disease in check. If it is causing you this much worry I agree it needs to be looked into

MariSuccess is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.